Ba brace sinks Latics

Demba Ba served up a timely reminder of his potency to end Newcastle's wait for a 3-0 Barclays Premier League victory against 10-man Wigan.

The 27-year-old's first-half double ended a run of four successive league defeats for the injury-hit Magpies on a day when it emerged that the club's ongoing efforts to renegotiate his contract to dispense with a troublesome release-clause are yet to pay dividends.

Alan Pardew's men were aided in by the controversial 12th-minute dismissal of Honduras international Maynor Figueroa by referee Mike Jones, who later opted not to send off Gary Caldwell for what looked like a second bookable offence. Substitute Gael Bigirimana's superb first goal for the club cemented just a second league win in 10 games for Newcastle.